Join my Patreon to be 30 chapters ahead of the webnovel releases:
patreon.com/ZeroMoney
I would appreciate your help if you could join my Patreon and support me because it would keep me motivated.
******
"A Dark Golden Terrorclaw Bear?"
A flicker of delight shone in Su Wen's eyes.
The group stood atop a tree canopy, looking down at the scene below. An injured Dark Golden Terrorclaw Bear was roaring at a large, ink-colored python. It crouched low, baring its teeth in a warning to its opponent.
"It's injured?" Yan Shaozhe raised an eyebrow.
Dark Golden Terrorclaw Bears were considered rare spirit beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest. They had only encountered a ten-thousand-year-old one on their journey so far. However, given its terrifying combat power, even with Yan Shaozhe present, they didn't dare to provoke it and gave it a wide berth.
But this particular Dark Golden Terrorclaw Bear was of a suitable age; judging by its size, it was around three to four thousand years old.
"It's not a problem…"
A smile lifted the corners of Su Wen's mouth.
As long as he captured it in a Spirit Ball, any injury from the first capture would be instantly healed, equivalent to a "refresh." He had already tested this on the Ice Emperor, so he wasn't in a hurry to act.
And in his field of vision:
[Dark Golden Terrorclaw Bear]
[Potential: 8]
[Cultivation: 3,700 years]
[Evaluation: A spirit beast species with extremely high average potential. Its offense and defense are monstrously powerful within the entire spirit beast population. One of the best choices for a pet beast...]
He couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder.
As expected of a Dark Golden Terrorclaw Bear. The ink-colored python opposite it was a full thirty to forty meters long, its back covered in tough scales that absorbed most of the sunlight. Coiled around a tree trunk, its eyes were cold and menacing. If not for the Dark Golden Terrorclaw Bear, it would have been difficult to even spot it.
However, the python's back also bore obvious injuries.
A look at its panel revealed:
A Spirit Ink Snake with a cultivation of over thirty thousand years. Its combat power was definitely not weak among spirit beasts of the same realm…
To be able to fight an opponent whose cultivation was seven to eight times its own… it was the Xiao Yan of the spirit beast world, fighting above its level was as natural as flowing water.
"If you've taken a liking to it, you should act quickly," Yan Shaozhe reminded him from the side.
"Although the Dark Golden Terrorclaw Bear is formidable, facing a 30,000-year-old Spirit Ink Snake, it's only a matter of time before it gets devoured. Of course, the Spirit Ink Snake will have to pay a significant price…"
"Roar!"
Following another furious roar from the Dark Golden Terrorclaw Bear, the wound on its abdomen became even more apparent. There was a bloody hole, seemingly from a vicious bite by the Spirit Ink Snake. As time passed, the blood flowing from its abdomen grew as thick as ink, causing its entire body to slowly stiffen.
"The Spirit Ink Snake… some scholars also classify it as a poison-type. Its ability is to inject its own characteristic blood after biting its prey. This blood can merge with the opponent's blood, turning it into a congealed ink-like substance, slowly solidifying the opponent's blood…"
Su Wen silently recalled the knowledge from the library.
Having lived in the Sea God's Pavilion all these years, Elder Mu had tacitly allowed him to enter the library to study at any time. Thus, he had systematically studied cultivation techniques, the spirit beast illustrated guide, and various difficult problems. Today, it was finally proving useful.
"Go!"
Without further hesitation, Su Wen forcefully threw the purple Spirit Ball clasped in his palm. Aided by the wind, it shot accurately towards the Dark Golden Terrorclaw Bear.
"Roar!"
Two startled gazes simultaneously looked towards the treetops.
The Dark Golden Terrorclaw Bear instinctively wanted to flee, but its injuries and nearly solidified blood caused insufficient blood flow to its brain. It staggered dizzily and collapsed to the ground, where it was enveloped by a thick white light.
"Hiss…"
A hint of anger flickered in the Spirit Ink Snake's cold eyes.
It had spent half a month hunting this Dark Golden Terrorclaw Bear. To have such a delicious and nourishing multi-course meal snatched away just like that… it was naturally unwilling.
But a terrifying aura rose from beside that weak human.
Seeing this, the Spirit Ink Snake could only depart quietly.
Can't afford to provoke them, can't afford to provoke them…
"Level 31!"
The purple Spirit Ball under the tree vanished and reappeared in Su Wen's palm.
At the same time, the sound of a bottleneck shattering quietly echoed within Su Wen's body.
[Dark Golden Terrorclaw Bear]
[Level: 31]
[Strength: 77.4 (5.0)]
[Speed: 12.4 (6.4)]
[Endurance: 65.4 (5.4)]
[Defense: 81.1 (10.1)]
[Skill: Dreadgold Claw (Brown)]
[Attribute: Gold (Ultimate)]
[Potential: 8 (Exquisite)]
[Next Evolution Stage: Behemoth]
Holy sht…*
Su Wen's pupils contracted sharply.
At first glance, these stats made it look like a seven or eight-thousand-year-old spirit beast. Strength and Defense in the seventies and eighties were almost seven or eight times that of a spirit beast of the same level!
But who would have thought this was just a thousand-year-old Dark Golden Terrorclaw Bear.
And its skill, Dreadgold Claw, with its Brown quality, was a full two tiers higher than the Ice Emperor's original "Ice Domain" skill! (The author's note in the original text refers to the Heaven, Earth, Mystic, Yellow tier system)
The Ultimate Gold attribute was to be expected; it would be strange if it wasn't Ultimate…
But after reaching level 30, the Dark Golden Terrorclaw Bear didn't evolve?
Was its second stage also a Dark Golden Terrorclaw Bear, or did spirit beasts captured at this critical juncture automatically lose their ability to evolve?
However, the sheer power of the Dark Golden Terrorclaw Bear made him cast this question aside.
He began to inspect Hurricane and the Ice Emperor.
[Storm Baboon]
[Level: 31]
[Strength: 14.4 (5.0)]
[Speed: 48.4 (6.4)]
[Endurance: 16.4 (5.4)]
[Defense: 14.1 (10.1)]
[Skill: Astral Wind Blade (Cyan), Wind of Recovery (Cyan)]
[Attribute: Astral Wind (Top-tier)]
[Potential: 8 (Exquisite)]
[Next Evolution Stage: Hurricane Demonic Ape]
After transforming into a Storm Baboon, Hurricane's height shot up from 2.5 meters to about 3 meters. The muscle definition in its arms and legs became more pronounced, changing from lean to full. At the same time, a faint purple pattern extended from the edge of its eye sockets to its temples, and the fur on its body became as pure as snow.
"As expected, the attribute evolved too!" Su Wen grinned.
Although Astral Wind wasn't an Ultimate attribute yet, it was very close, similar to Wu Feng's fire attribute. This type of wind was enough to rank among the very best of all wind attributes. This caused Hurricane's combat power to soar, instantly promoting it from a long-term benchwarmer who could only watch from the Spirit Ball to a main force member.
Agility-type Soul Masters have a future after all.
The other new skill, [Wind of Recovery], could heal injuries and even restore soul power. However, compared to a professional "healer," it was somewhat lacking. Still, it solved an urgent need in the early stages and could be considered a transitional skill.
Moreover, the main reason Hurricane could only watch from the sidelines before was because the Ice Emperor's "Ice Domain" skill was indiscriminate, affecting friend and foe alike. Letting it out was useless, as its main advantage, speed, was largely negated.
But now, things were different.
[Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion]
[Level: 31]
[Strength: 41.4 (5.0)]
[Speed: 13.4 (6.4)]
[Endurance: 32.4 (5.4)]
[Defense: 59.1 (10.1)]
[Skill: Permafrost Domain (Purple), Ice Pincer (Cyan)]
[Attribute: Ice (Ultimate), Poison (Ordinary)]
[Potential: 7 (Peerless)]
[Next Evolution Stage: Frost Extreme Emperor Scorpion]
(End of Chapter)